In Indian Premier League (IPL) Qualifier 1, MS Dhoni sent the social media buzzing when he had a conversation with on-field umpires for few minutes before his death overs specialist Matheesha Pathirana was eligible to bowl after going off the field. Dhoni was criticised for his time-wasting tactics by Sunil Gavaskar on air but the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain was not fined for the act. After few days of the clash, former International Cricket Council (ICC) umpire Daryl Harper has lashed out at Dhoni for bypassing the rule.
‘Maybe some people are bigger than the law’
“Dhoni wasted time to allow his preferred bowling option to deliver the vital 16th over. That’s the only conclusion that I can draw from that disappointing spectacle. The issue for me is the lack of respect shown for the spirit of cricket and for the directions of the umpires. There were other [bowling] options for the captain, but they were ignored. Maybe, some people are bigger than the law or in this case, the spirit of cricket. It’s always disappointing to see the lengths that some people will go to in order to win,” Harper told Mid-Day.
Dhoni’s questionable tactic revisited
The incident took place before the 16th over of Gujarat Titans' run chase. GT still needed 71 runs from 30 balls with Vijay Shankar and Rashid Khan in the middle. Dhoni, Pathirana and other CSK players were seen having a heated conversation with the umpire. The Sri Lankan pacer was introduced as an impact player by CSK. After bowling just one over, he had left the field for nine minutes. When he was handed the ball to bowl the 16th over by Dhoni, there were still four minutes left on the clock for him to be eligible to bowl again. However, after the long conversation, Pathirana bowled the 16th over as he had spent nine minutes on the field.
Gavaskar’s stand after the incident
Gavaskar did not defend Dhoni’s act as he feels that at the end of the day umpire’s decision is to be respected.
"I think we have been taught all the time to accept the umpire's decision. You can obviously ask for a clarification and that's what Dhoni was clearly doing, asking for a clarification. My thinking is that rather than looking at what Dhoni did, you have to look at what the umpires did," Gavaskar said in an interview with IndiaToday.
"Maybe since it was MS Dhoni, they indulged him and started talking with him but if it was anybody else, they would have gone to their position and set get on. And that is what they should have done.
"I would not point a finger at MS Dhoni and I would ask the umpire why they took so much time to clarify whatever it was. You don't know what exactly happened, nobody has come out in the middle and clarified what had happened. The umpires, to a large extent, they should have been firm," Gavaskar added.
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